I know for myself I’ve often admired the artwork of a well inked tattoo and appreciated many of the personal tributes and anchor points in people’s lives that led them to mark an occasion or relationship. You can’t help but be touched by a photographic representation of a lost loved one or impressed by 3D art that encompasses the values of the individual. But what happens when life changes? When that living relationship has lost its savour or our values have changed. Do we try to erase the ink?

You’re probably picking up that this post isn’t about answers as much as the questions I’ve worked through asking the question ‘Should I get a tattoo’? As a Christian I’ve been observing two lines of thought that seem to embrace the extreme positions. On one side is the confident position that we shouldn’t deface our skin because the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Its found in 1 Corinthians 3 v16-17 and says; "Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple."  If you live your faith you probably take that verse and ask yourself if this applies to me and not only with tattoos but the way I live, the way I eat, the exercise I do or don’t all come under question. There’s no point applying it to only one part of our lives. Then you hit the topic right between the eyes when you read this;

Leviticus 19 v 28 challenges me with "You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the LORD."

Many Christians today are moving past these verses saying that we are under grace and not under law as they pursue ink art that declares their faith. This article at http://christianity.about.com handles it well. Firstly talking about the Leviticus verse it explains the context of the commandment dealing with pagan worship and then comes back to some wise guidelines that we can learn through reading and understanding Romans 14.

So what would you do? I’ve often thought about getting three tattoos possibly merged into one piece of art that speak about my heritage. I was born in England then at the age of nearly 5 came out to New Zealand where I was raised. In 1998 my job took my family and I to Australia for 13 years where we enjoyed raising our family and becoming Aussie citizens. Patriotism is one reason for a tattoo. A sense of being, connection and loving the values of a nation. For those reasons I looked at the idea of a tattoo for each place of citizenship. I could see an image with a Lion, a Kiwi and a Kangaroo engaged with the flags of each nation.

I guess a point that stays with me is that tattoos imprint us. Unless we spend some expensive money on laser removal you can bet its there for life. The thing I like about my life is that through the grace of God, patience and discipline I can change and be changed. When I receive God’s forgiveness he cleanses me as white as snow. Those broken relationships that come from lust and selfishness along with the greed based mistakes can all be wiped off the slate. I like a sarcastic quote I heard in a movie trailer for the new Happy Feet 2 movie. One of the characters is told they’re beautiful to which they respond, "Only on the outside". It’s true we are each beautiful people, unique in so many ways but the inside isn’t always so beautiful. To me thats the part of me that needs the most work and attention. I’m more interested in internal ‘heart’ surgery than the plastic surgery of the outside.

So where are we today? I haven’t an inch of ink on my body. The closest I’ve come is to write down to ‘Remember the Milk’ on the back of my hand. I also don’t feel there is enough conviction about it to make me step into any area I still feel is grey. As a Dad I don’t know I’d feel comfortable about my kids getting a tattoo so I have to then turn back to the mirror and ask how that applies to my own calls.

As you think this one through for yourself, enjoy this Weird Al parody and leave me a comment. Love to hear about your journey on this one.

Recently I mentioned ‘The Box’, a records box of memories that had been missing for 10 years. A lot of the items were notes, poetry and newsletters I had kept from my youth group days. It was a habit that I would carry into the 90s as I ventured out into the world. I wouldn’t quite call it journaling because it didn’t have the consistency that I see in those who ‘know how to journal’. But it is a record of things I’m happy to remember.

Today I started at the top and opened up this box of memories. One of the first things I found were the hand written notes from a bible study evening I was leading. I loved using audio visual. It wasn’t unusual for me to want to ‘play a song’ or show a video (VHS people!) to get a point across.

On this night I had hand written the lyrics to a song ‘Reminders of You’ by Geoff Moore and the Distance from the 1992 CD “A Friend Like U”. Part way through I had made a note to pause the song and ask people to think on what reminds them of the Lord.

You know every day I drive home from work I have the privilege of taking an off-ramp that turns back on itself towards the west. I see the most dramatic sunsets and they always bring me back to God the creator who spoke the world into existence. I look on every beautiful burnt orange or red sunset blasting through the unique branches of our Australian gum trees and am reminded that the sunset I saw yesterday was taken down last night and God painted a new one today. I am grateful for His love and care, His creativity and the freshness I see that remind me that like it says in Lamentations 3, His ‘mercy’ is also new every morning.

The song is written by Jeff Silvey and Billy Simon.

Reminders of You

(Verse 1)
A cross on a chain
Or a thunder cloud rolling
A Bible in a hotel room
Or lights on an evergreen

Tombstones on the hillside
Or a little child laughing
Just to name a few
Reminders of you

(Chorus)
You abide in me, my hope my Lord
And I will not forget your name
Please keep sending me reminders of You

(Verse 2)
A table set for twelve
Or a northern star shining
A lazy Sunday afternoon
Or a cool mountain stream

A piece of bread with a red wine
A December snow falling
Just to name a few reminders of You

If we truly think that the God, creator of the universe will fit in our box, either our small mindedness has lost sight of the universe or we have placed ourselves in the position of being controller of the box and thus in control of God.

In reading 2 Cor 5:15 I saw the error of our assumption. It then came home in verse 7 where the challenge of believing by faith comes home.

Lord,
Thank you for your creative love
Made me, redeemed me
Bless the name of Jesus
Called me, cleansed me

Find me and purify my heart
Not lost, ever watched
Believing in a sacrificial son
Never seeing yet convinced

One day taken Heaven bound
Final home and body found
While still here let me declare
Tent of ruin losing hair

Jesus, Saviour, maker, mine
Impacts life from the divine
God looks on His son endowed
To walk and talk, bring reconciled

For God made Christ the son
To be the offering, the only one
Wiped out our debt, our sin, my bad
Bringing us back home to Dad

:- Andrew Pitchford 30/10/2007

Great chapter! Read 2 Corinthians 5 now and be amazed.